NCJ Number
240553
Date Published
2012
Length
244 pages
Annotation
This study provides information on California's strategy to manage its prison system.
Abstract
With Public Safety Realignment driving a safe, steady decline in the State's inmate population, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has released a plan to cut billions in spending, meet constitutional standards ordered by various courts for inmate medical, mental health and dental care, and improve prison and parole operations. This blueprint delineates a clear and comprehensive plan to satisfy the Supreme Court's order for realignment, and to facilitate California in regaining and maintaining control of the prison system. This blueprint represents a cost-effective strategy for California to ensure public safety and make available $30 billion for other critical services such as education and health care over the next decade. The prison system has already reduced its population by more than 22,000 inmates which has improved the ability to provide quality health care, created the flexibility to implement new policies that will improve offender management, and increased opportunities for rehabilitative programming to reduce recidivism. To effectively implement these policies the department has reevaluated its entire operation, and set forth a plan to complete necessary facility improvements and redistribute resources to ensure safe operations. Ultimately, the taxpayers benefit from realignment as California regains control of its prison system. The combined effect of the population reduction under realignment, new offender management policies, redistributing resources and reduced recidivism will be significant savings. The annual support budget will be reduced by $1.5 billion, and when compared to the alternative of building and operating new prisons, the savings exceed $3 billion annually. Appendixes A-H